Benton Harbor man dies in custody following medical emergency

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. - A 48-year-old Benton Harbor man died in custody after suffering from a medical emergency while at the Berrien County Jail, according to the Michigan State Police Southwest Enforcement Team.

On Friday morning, detectives from SWET did a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from a suspect on Highland Avenue in Benton Township.

The suspect gave undercover police a smaller quantity of the drug than what was agreed upon, reports said.

After a short chase, police arrested the man, who was allegedly uncooperative during an interview with law enforcement and would not say where the rest of the methamphetamine was.

Police did not find any drugs on the man, according to reports.

During the interview, detectives said the man showed no signs of distress, was speaking normally and did not request medical care.

While inside a holding cell at the Berrien County Jail for his charges, the suspect began vomiting.

He was taken to the hospital, where he went into cardiac arrest and died.

The Michigan State Police Sixth District Incident Response Team continues to investigate this incident.

On Monday, law enforcement identified the man as Douglas Lee Davis, Jr.

He was taken to the jail on an active federal warrant for parole violation and on three counts of delivery of methamphetamine, according to reports.

Preliminary autopsy findings showed that there was a plastic baggie in Davis's stomach.

At this time, information points to the possibility that the suspect could have ingested a harmful substance.

The full autopsy report is still pending.